Turquía: Turkish potato harvest delayed

In Turkey the demand for potatoes is met in part by the Sandikli district with almost 20% of the countries’ supply coming from there, in the first week of March about 6 thousand tons of potatoes in storage were sold out. 

In winter of the this year the potato planting season was delayed due to the rainy weather. As a result of the late planting, the harvest season will be delayed too.Providing information on the potato production in the district, Sandikli’s Chamber of Agriculture Director, Suleyman Yildiz said:“Potato planting normally begins at the end of February or beginning of March. 

Three to four months later, depending on the summer-winter fruits, the potatoes are extracted. However, this year we could only plant the potatoes at the end of March/beginning of April. In this case, the harvest will appear on the market in 1.5 to 2 months. 

When the Sandikli potatoes come out you won’t see demand for other regions’ potatoes, because ours are superior both in terms of climate and in terms of soil composition. 30% Produced in AfyonkarahisarSuleyman Yildiz explains that 30% of Turkey’s potato production is completed in Afyonkarahisar, he states:“When people talk of Afyon the first place that comes to mind is Sandikli. From the Food, Agriculture and Livestock Ministry data, it looks as if 15-20% but this does not take all lands into account. 

So we’re keeping an inventory.”Prices through the roofIn the last few days potato prices have rocketed, according to Yildiz the producers will be the victims, he says:‘The reasons for our grievances are that if a situation like this arises, it’s always as if we’re the ones raising the prices. We sell subterranean goods for between €0.10-0.20 a kilo. But in Antalya, Istanbul, or at any market, in any district in Turkey, they sell them for €1.30-1.60.

 We don’t think this is right. Of course we are not the source of this situation. In summer people are taking potatoes from the farmers and storing them. If potatoes are dispatched from the warehouses, prices rise. Potato planting increasesYildiz points out that in Sandikli potato planting has increased in comparison to last year, last year 20,000 decares were planted, this year it has risen to 30-32,000. In comparison with last year we expect an increase in production of almost 30%, he states:“Last year in Sandikli we produced 175,000 tonnes of potatoes. 

This year we are expecting around 220,000 to 250,000 tonnes. At the start of the season last year, potatoes were sold from the field for between €0.25-0.35. This later fell to €0.15-0.12. As for this years’ prices, it’s still not certain, but in other regions the prices are around €0.20-0.25. From the wholesale halls they are bought for €0.35-0.50.”